Elphaba's Trip to Paris
by Erik's Stalker
Summary: They're both different, misunderstood. What happens when Elphaba goes to see an Opera at the Paris Opera House?
1. Chapter 1

"Elphie!" Galinda called out.

"What?" Elphaba shouted back in exasperation. The train was slowly rolling forward, and she had her head out the window looking back at her best friend.

"It's just, don't have too much fun in Paris without me, please?"

"Okay!" Elphaba yelled as the train pulled out of the station. Galinda continued to shout things such as, "I'll miss you!" and "Pay attention to the fashions!" Ephaba sat back down in her seat and closed her windows, rolling her eyes. Shiz had just gotten out for the summer, and she was headed for Paris for two months of chaos. If she had her way, she would be staying at Shiz over the summer, but of course, Nessa wanted to go to France, and she couldn't go alone. Of course not, because it's not like any of her 30 thousand friends at Shiz wouldn't have been willing enough to go with her, Elphaba thought bitterly. The only good thing about the situation was that Paris was filled with all sorts of amazing history she could learn about firsthand. Settling back in her seat, Elphaba closed her eyes and tried to sleep.

"Elphaba!" Nessarose said just as Elphie had started to doze off. "I need a pillow." Elphaba sighed internally but pressed the button over her head to call for one of the trains many servants. A Cat came up to their compartment, and a minuet later Nessarose had her head resting on her pillow. "Thank you," Elphaba told the Cat when her sister did not. The Cat smiled at her, and walked away. This is going to be a long trip, Elphie thought to herself.

Luckily, almost miraculously, the rest of the 9-hour ride passed without any disturbances, and Elphaba and Nessa even managed to make it all the way to their hotel suite undisturbed. The people staring, pointing, and jeering at Elphaba did not count as disturbances. In Paris, France, the year was 1881, so there was very little technology, and no magic at all, but Elphaba and her sister were in the most expensive and executive area of Paris there was. By the time Elphaba had unpacked for herself and Nessa, it was time for dinner, and Nessa made sure she knew it.

"Elphaba!" The tragically beautiful whined.

"Nessarose!" The beautifully tragic girl mocked back. She then hung her head. "I'm sorry Nessa, I didn't mean to be rude, it's just been a long day." She sighed. "I'll have your dinner up here in just a second." Elphaba rushed down to the hotel's kitchen, and saw none other than Pfannee, one of Nessa's best friends from Shiz. "Pfannee!" She shouted at the girl, "Over here!" Pfannee turned to see the school's green girl waving her over, and she obliged. "Hello, Elphaba," she said, trying to keep her contempt out of her voice. This was of course her best friend's sister, not to mention the most popular girl in school's best friend. "So, what's up?"

"Such a coincidence we're staying the same hotel, isn't it?" Elphie asked, trying to smile politely. Receiving no answer, she continued, " Nessa's back at out suite, but I'm sure if you went to see her she would be happy to hang out." Pfannee's ears had perked up at Nessa's name.

"Oh, in that case, I'll bring her up some food," Pfannee offered, planning to get rid of the artichoke before her. "In fact, I don't mind taking care of her for you, if you'd like. I'm staying here all summer, and my suite has four bedrooms. She could come stay with me!" Elphaba for a second was unsure of leaving her sister who she was supposed to be taking care of, but then she decided she really didn't care. "You know what?" She said, "You two have fun, go shopping, see the city, she's in suite 23, if you need me, just check the library, okay?" Elphaba handed the younger girl the key to their room, and then turned away and walked in the other direction. Pfannee thought for a second that getting rid of the celery stalk was almost to easy, but ignored the thought and went to find her best friend.


	2. Chapter 2

Elphaba grabbed dinner for just her, and ate down in the hotel's sitting area. After she thought was a safe amount of time, she went back to her suite, and was ecstatic to find it empty. Maybe this summer vacation I'll actually have a good time, she thought, flopping down on her goose feather bed and opening her book she grabbed from her desk. Each chapter was devoted to one of the many wonders of the city of lights. She already knew everything about the Eifel Tower, the Notre Dame, and Sainte-Chapelle, and there wasn't much else in the book she didn't already know. After flipping through all of the pages, she went back through the book and found something she had missed before; a page titled, L'Opera de Paris.

The next morning, Elphaba woke up around 11, having stayed up late the night before, reading. She yawned, and stretched, and leisurely got ready for the day. After getting dressed she opened the huge curtains and gazed out at the stunning city that lay before her. After realizing just how much there was she wanted to see and learn, she rushed downstairs and out the door into the sunshine.

For the rest of the day, she endured and ignored the crowds of people gawking, and let herself enjoy the smells, and the food, and the sights. Late in the afternoon she headed to the Paris Opera to reserve her tickets for the next nights performance of Hannibal. That night, she stopped by Pfannee's room, and found Nessa safe inside, having her toenails painted. Elphaba quickly back out of the room, gladly unnoticed, and went back to her suite, content.

By the time Friday night had arrived, Elphaba was wearing a beautiful, new, scarlet evening gown, and was ready to go to the Opera. Having access to the almost unlimited supply of money her family had, Elphaba had bought an entire box just for her, and felt more excited than she ever had to go to a public event. There was just so much history behind the Opera House! Plus, the talk of the town was that a real ghost haunted the Opera. Elphie scoffed at these rumors, but was secretly curious to find out more about this apparition.

Elphaba stepped into her carriage and the driver motioned for the horses to go. A half hour later, Elphaba was making her way to Box 5. Once there, she sat down in one of the middle seats, and watched the red curtain on the stage. Just as the curtain began to rise though, she heard someone behind her. She turned quickly, but saw nothing. She heard an intake of breath though, and least, she knew she did. Someone was there, and she knew it. Hoping to lure them out, she turned back to the stage, and watched the first act of a three act opera. During the intermission, she stood and started exploring the box, looking for something, anything. Frustrated she half whispered, half yelled, "I know you're here! I don't know where and I don't know who you are, but I know you're here!"

She paused. She hadn't heard anything through the entire first act; maybe she had just imagined it? Confused, she sat back down in her seat and focused on the opera. When it was finished, she remained seated while everyone else filed out of the great auditorium. She kept her eyes on the exit of the box, and saw no one leave, so if there was someone in there, they were surely still there she reasoned. "Please, I'm not angry with you for being in my box, I just want to be able to see your face!" for she had seen shadows moving. And then, she heard a quiet laugh. Just through the laugh itself, she knew that it was the most beautiful, melodious, perfect voice she had ever heard, and automatically hated it. Why couldn't just one part of her be beautiful?

"Excuse me, mademoiselle, but _your_ box? I do believe this is _my_ box."

"I, but I-" Elphaba stammered, confused. "I bought the tickets for this box, making it mine for tonight's performance!"

"Yes," the lovely voice countered, "But tonight's performance is over." Elphaba blushed, realizing her mistake. "I don't see how that makes it your box though." For a second, she thought she could see a swish of a cloak, a shadow of maybe a shoulder, but no head.

"Mademoiselle, this box is mine, and neither you nor anyone else is to sit in it again," the voice growled, laced with threats, and yet with an air of finality. Instead of listening to it though, Elphaba was angry. "I will not take orders from a coward who hides his face!" She shot back at him. "What, are you scared of a nineteen year old girl?" She forced out a laugh towards him.

"I warn you, mademoiselle, you do not wish to see me!" suddenly the voice, still beautiful, became ashamed. "Leave now, I beg of you." Elphaba's heart almost broke at the emotion behind his words, but stood her ground.

"No," she said, "Once you step into the light, I will leave."

"But I think you will find, girl," the voice replied, cold again, "That light is lacking in this room." And she found it was. Suddenly, all at once, every light in the theatre had gone out. Blind in the darkness, she stumbled around in the darkness, trying to find the exit, but tripped over something she couldn't identify, and landed in outstretched arms. After that, she lost consciousness.


	3. Chapter 3

_Why am I doing this?_ He thought as he carried the girl down underneath the opera house. _So she's green, so she's confident, so she enjoys the opera, so she's different from everybody else so she's incredibly beautiful, I have no right to steal her like this!_ And all the while he was thinking these thoughts he continued to carry her downward, until he finally reached his lair.

Setting her gently down in a cushioned chair, the ghost strode over to his organ and sat down at the bench. From there he simply watched her wondering what on earth he was going to do when she woke.

Elphaba woke up cold, and extremely confused. It took her a minuet t register the fact that she was facing an unknown man wearing a mask in what looked like a room with no windows, an inside lake, and only candles for light. Once her mind took all of this in she leaped up from her chair and stood there, looking at the man. She saw no exits she could easily get to, and was breathing heavily from panic. In a second the man in black clothes and a mask was at her side. "You fainted, he said, as if that explained everything. It was not his words though, but his voice that got Elphaba's attention. So deep, and rich, so entrancing.

"Who are you?" she asked, then blushed realizing how childish she sounded. The man turned away. He couldn't very well say that he was the Phantom or the Paris Opera Ghost, could he? Then the girl would run away, and he couldn't let her do that.

"You may call me Erik," he told her shortly.

"And why am I here?" Elphaba prodded, eager to hear him speak more.

"I told you, mademoiselle, you became unconscious, and so I carried you here to make sure you were okay!" he almost shouted at her

"Oh," she said, his words having upset her. "Why did the lights go out?"

"Why must you ask so many questions?" Erik replied, facing her. Elphaba looked into his eyes, great, amber orbs, and felt as if she could not breath.

"Please," she begged, "Just answer one more question." He sighed and she continued, "Why do you wear that mask?" Erik tensed, but answered civilly,

"I have a deformity, one that the human eye should not have to see. I do people the favor of wearing a mask." Instead of satisfying her curiosity, this made Elphaba angry again. "Oh, so what you're saying that people who look different than other people should just not be seen? Should just hide themselves away? You think that people with deformities are unpleasant to look at!" Erik saw his mistake. He knew that the girl before him with the green skin must have gone through the same things he had gone through. "I am sorry," he said, feeling sorry for himself. "People have always forced me to wear a mask, so I grew up thinking that I was being kind to people by wearing it. I truly am ugly, pure horror to the eyes, yet you are a creature from the heavens. I come from Hell and will be going back in the end."

Elphaba walked towards the broken man with tears in her eyes. She laid one of her hands on the beautiful side of his face, not caring what was on the other side. "No one," she told him, "With a voice as pure and beautiful as yours could ever be considered ugly." She slowly peeled his porcelain mask away from his face and set it on a table next to her. "I am sorry for sitting in your box, and thank you for making sure I was okay."

Erik started when she pulled of his mask, but she did not. She knew looks meant nothing, nothing at all. "I am sorry for bothering you," she continued, standing only a foot away from him. He was like a magnet to her, and while looking into his golden eyes she could not move away.

Erik, though, could. He turned his face away from her and walked back to his organ, sitting down once more at the bench. Forcing herself not to cry a the obvious rejection, Elphaba followed him, and stood behind him as he flipped open to part of his current work, a piece called _Wicked._

"You may leave, mademoiselle, at anytime," he said, his voice low. Elphaba bit her lip, and started dejectedly towards the door she presumed leaded outside. This was a man, different from all the others who didn't care about looks, and yet still didn't care for her at all. She went through the door and closed it behind her, but sank down to her knees with her back pressed against it. She heard through the door the music he played, music like she had never heard before. It was a piece about love, she could tell from the tune, and yet seemed sad.

After a few minuets, Elphaba began to tear herself away from the music, afraid of what he would do if he found her there. Then though, he began to sing and found that she was frozen. _"Maybe I'm brainless, maybe I'm wise, but you've got me seeing through different eyes." _All she wanted to do at that moment was burst back into the room, and listen to his music, but she knew she couldn't. Instead she lay down in the hallway the door had led to, and fell asleep to the sweet music.


	4. Chapter 4

As his clock struck eight, Erik's head snapped up, while he recognized that it was now morning. He had been so confused the night before, and so let himself get lost in his own music, with no regard to either sleeping or eating. _Last night,_ he thought, remembering the green girl. When he saw her in his box, he was at first angry, but as soon as he began to speak to her, he found she was, different. She was so completely opposite from the average lady of the 19th century, and yet so alike him.

Erik shook his head to clear his thoughts. She had removed his mask, and had not even blinked! But she was young, beautiful, and smart, and he could not allow himself to think of her in the way he did. _ So, so young, _he thought, stretching and walking over to his kitchen. While he made himself breakfast, he thought of her, the way she looked and the way her voice sounded, and he thought of where she was now.

Elphaba woke up, her head pressed against a wooden door, and laying on the floor. She had awoken to the sound of someone moving around, and it took her a minuet to realize who that someone was. Immediately she sat straight up and tried to figure out what she would do. How embarrassing it would be if that man found her sleeping outside his door! Standing with as much dignity as she could muster, Elphaba started to walk in the other direction that she assumed led to the outside.

Coming to a door what must have been the exit, Elphie cautiously turned the handle and was met with light and many stares from people she did not know. As soon as she had pushed open the door, everyone in the street of course noticed her coloring, and Elphaba saw one little girl burst into tears at the sight. It seemed as if all of France was staring at her in that instant.

A minuet later the green girl was pounding on the door leading to Erik's lair, and everyone who had been staring was continuing on his or her way, muttering about foreigners. Erik heard the frantic knocking and swiftly glided to the door it was coming from. Behind it he heard sobbing, "Please, let me in! They all hate me! Please!" The door was opened and Elphaba stumbled in, a wreck. She almost collapsed, and quickly sat in a spare chair. "Oh please Erik," she cried, "Let me stay here until nightfall, when people can't see me! They all hate me, and think I'm a monster! You don't think that do you?"

She said this all so fast that everything had slightly blurred together, but Erik understood all that she said. Kneeling by her side, he wrapped one arm around her shoulder, letting his instincts tell him what to do and told her, "You are a person, child, and you are welcome anywhere I am. I know that the things they say hurt, but I also know it's not true. Hush child, and forget what they say." He rocked side to side slowly, as she tried her hardest to stop crying. The tears stung her cheeks so bad, but she was so upset! She felt to pitiful, and helpless, and she hated not being strong, but she knew Erik would understand.

Erik wiped away her tears, and tried not to groan aloud. He did not want her around him, because he wanted her around him. She was so perfect and understanding, that he wanted to be around her, and just keep her always with him, but he knew he couldn't do that. It would be wrong, and he was sure this girl, whose name he did not even know, had a family that loved her. After a few minuets, she had calmed and so he drew up his own chair and sat down across from her. "Look," he said gently, "You may stay here, child, but first you must tell someone else you know where you are. I do not want your friends to worry about you."

"It's okay," she replied, "Really, I don't have any friends within a few thousand miles." As she said it she looked at his eyes that peered out from his replaced mask. "The only person in the entire outside world who even really cares about my existence is in a place far away." Elphaba thought of Galinda, who was probably thinking of things other than her at that moment.

It made Erik's heart hurt to hear the child's words, and he thought of Nadir, his only friend. "I understand," he said so very kindly. "But if you are to stay here, child, please tell me what you wish me to call you." Elphaba thought of all her different nicknames, Elphie, Fae, Fabala, the Artichoke, and the Loch Ness Monster.

"Elphaba is what my parents named me," she replied, wiping away the very last of her tears with her shirtsleeve.

"Well then, Elphaba, you are a girl, so would you by any chance know anything about cooking?" he asked, motioning to his plain pot of boiling oatmeal. Elphaba almost took offence about the remark about being a girl, but instead laughed and offered, "How about I make up some breakfast?"

Attention Reader(s)! After today, I am not sure if I will continue this story because there have not been many signs that more than one person is reading it. If by Friday at 8 pm I have at least 3 different people review I will continue writing and until then update on a Chapter a Day or More basis. If not, I may come back to this story in a few weeks, or I may just give up on it. Thank You!


	5. Chapter 5

Elphaba spent all day in Erik's home, asking question after question about every single detail of Paris, the Opera, music, and Erik himself. She had always found a special connection in music, how it could so easily describe any feeling in the world. She would listen to it all the time at Shiz, but hearing the music in the Opera House was so incredible she had to know more.

For hours on hours Erik patiently answered her questions, never once getting angry or frustrated, and even smiling every once in a while. She was so mature for her age, and at the same time such a child in some of her actions. Her eyes went wide to convey a whole list of emotions, from wonder to shock, and she never seemed to be able to sit still. While Erik remained at his organ bench for most of the day, Elphaba often asked questions and listened to answers while moving around and examining different parts of the lair. She steered clear from the lake though, and Erik wondered why. He never had a spare second to ask.

Towards the end of the day, Elphaba had begun making dinner for the two of them, and Erik was walking over to her at his food-heating source. He stood behind her, and leaned over her shoulder to see what she was doing, his closeness making her catch her breath. As he craned his neck his mask slipped so that it was hanging around his neck. Elphaba hardly glanced up, and Erik automatically turned away to replace it, muttering, "I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?" Elphaba asked, offended. "Sorry that I saw your face? Should_** I**_ be sorry that I don't wear a mask?" At this point Erik was trying to interject another apology for offending her, but she continued, "Should _**I**_ wear a mask? Is that what everybody in the world who looks the slightest bit different do? Should we?" She was shouting at the end, not noticing that Erik's knuckles were turning white. "Do you ever let anybody else speak?" he asked her in exasperation, praying that he wouldn't let his anger get the best of him. "Please excuse my words, I refer only to myself, and mean no offence to you."

"I know!" Elphaba snapped. "You shouldn't be so hard on yourself, looks mean nothing, and to those who think they mean something, those people should mean nothing to you." Erik rethought those words in his head, thinking of their meaning. "But," he said slowly, trying to work it out in his mind, "My own looks mean something to me, though no one else's do," he added quickly, at her expression of almost, hurt? "So then, is it right for Erik to apologize to Erik for being ugly?" He continued on in a mumble, and Elphaba went back to her cooking, confused at his sudden swap to 3rd person point of view.

About twenty minuets later, they were sitting across from each other in the dining room, and Elphaba was watching Erik eat. She didn't notice she was doing this until he looked up and raised one eyebrow, making her blush a muddy brownish red. She immediately went back to her own food, and Erik to his. Their whole meal continued this way, one always watching the other, but neither one of them ever speaking.

As soon as Erik finished, after Elphaba finished, he took both of their plate, and he sat back down across from her. "It's seven, when would you like to brave the city?" Elphaba gulped, remembering Nessa, and Galinda who expected to be updated, and everything else. The problem was, she didn't want to leave, at all. Erik was the perfect gentleman, and in truth, she had to admit it to herself that she liked him. As both someone who could be her good friend, and as someone she wanted to be _very_ good friends with. But she accepted the fact that she had to go back to the world of cruelty and misunderstanding people. "I'll wait until nine, once the sun has completely gone down," she told him.

"Would you like me to accompany you home?" he asked after clearing his throat once. "Paris can be dangerous at night for a young girl, so I will personally escort you to wherever you are stay, for safety," he added more formally.

"I would appreciate that," Elphaba said courteously. She knew she was more than a match for anything that dared to cross her path, but she really did appreciate Erik's company. She spent the next two hours asking Erik even more questions she hadn't thought of earlier in the day, and at five of nine she paused, giving Erik a chance to catch his breath and let him mind catch up with his mouth. Suddenly he realized what he had just said. Elphaba had been asking about the Opera and the people who were part of it, and Erik, unthinkingly, had told her about the young soprano about Elphaba's age that he was training. Silently, Elphaba stood up and pointed out the time, saying she thought it was okay to leave then. Erik rose too, filled with regret for mentioning Christine, and fetched Elphaba a coat for the walk.


	6. Chapter 6

Elphaba and Erik walked together up and out of Erik's home, and they were met with the city night-lights. Luckily, very few people were outside on account of the cool summer weather, and Elphaba was able to whisper to Erik where she was staying. Aside from that though, she remained silent the entire walk to her hotel, letting Erik think she was trying to remain inconspicuous. In reality though, she was thinking of the girl whom he had spoken of with such praise. The girl seemed like a shallow diva, and didn't understand why Erik dwelled so on her. _It's none of my business in any case,_ she scolded herself.

"I'm guessing this would be your stop?" Erik asked, staring up, amused, at the great, luxurious inn.

"This would be," Elphaba said, suppressing a sorrowful sigh. She was sure there would be plenty of people awake inside, and she would be sure to get an earful from her sister. "I one last question, though," she said, and Erik groaned, and rolled his eyes jokingly.

"What would you like to know?" he asked

"If I went to another Opera next Friday, and just happened to glance towards Box 5, might I see you there?" she questioned, glancing at him.

"You would have a better chance of seeing me if you were to actually come up to Box 5, and watch the Opera from there," he informed her factually. She suppressed a grin.

"Then I may just see you then, and for now, goodbye Erik, and thank you," she stepped away from him, returning his cloak he let her borrow, and slipped into her hotel, rushing to her room. Quickly she pulled out some stationary and wrote to Galinda, telling her absolutely everything, and making her swear not to tell anyone, and trusting her not to. After, Elphaba put the letter in the mailbox the hotel supplied in her room, and fell back down on her plush bed. She lay there for maybe two hours, thinking of ways next Friday could go. She replayed make-believe scenarios in her head over and over again. Finally she fell asleep as she was, still thinking.

The next morning when Elphaba woke she got ready for the day and before getting breakfast crept over to Pfannee's suite to make sure her little sister was okay with her friend. Before she even knocked on the door, it flew open, luckily inwards, and she was face-to-face with Pfannee, with Nessa in her chair a few feet away. Nessa seemed perfectly content, although her friend seemed a little frazzled. Elphaba knew the feeling well. Her sister could be a handful. "Hello guys," Elphie said, "Just dropping by to make sure you're alright."

"We're doing great Elphaba, you're not needed," Nessarose dismissed her as Pfannee opened and closed her mouth miserably. Feeling slightly sorry, but not enough to act any differently, Elphaba quickly exited the room and went down to get her own breakfast, leaving Pfannee to most likely get her sister's. Elphaba spent the rest of the day and the rest of the week going around to every place in Paris she could, with a cloak covering her head. People were much less tolerant here than they were at Shiz, even on her first day. She could not wait for Friday.


End file.
